Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is facing a possible four-year ban from soccer, after a doping scandal.
++Formula 1 teams deny complaints about Toto and Susie Wolff
Pogba initially tested positive after a Serie A match with Udinese on August 20, as high levels of testosterone were detected in his system. He was provisionally suspended in September, and another sample also came back positive in October.
++Suárez and Inter Miami agree details of agreement for one season, says newspaper
The Turin public prosecutor’s office started a judicial investigation, as doping is a criminal offense in Italy. The midifielder’s representatives claim that the testerone came from a food supplement that was prescribed by a doctor in the United States.
Pogba has been working on a personal fitness programme while banned from soccer activities. According to the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves he was not at fault, and it can be limited to a few months if the use of the substance occurred “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Juventus have suspended payment of Pogba’s annual salary, estimated at 8.4 million dollars, since the positive test was announced. The French player returned to the Italian team in July 2022, in a transfer from Manchester United.
